DUNMORE -- The record-setting storm that dumped over two feet of snow all across the region created quite a busy week for PennDOT crews. Between plowing and treating major thoroughfares likes Interstates 80 and 81, to clearing the tiniest of side streets, it's been a marathon for the road crews -- and it's not quite over yet.
"We had the Interstate to a point where it was just about wet except for the drifting area, which posed a huge problem," said Jim Rusin of PennDOT. "And then we got five more inches after the main event."
Meanwhile, in Schuylkill County, crews were forced to start from scratch -- with 45 trucks working in 12-hour shifts during the massive blizzard, all in an attempt to cover more than 1,500 miles of road in the area.
"The length that these guys have to go in land miles...sometimes they have a two hour cycle time, and if you're getting two to three inches, by the time they get on the route at the beginning you can have accumulation of 4 to 6 inches," Rusin added.
PennDOT says that the long shifts give the drivers more time to get home and shovel out the snow for their own families.
"At least that employee knows they get 12 hours off, so they'll be able to go home and do everything else that everyone else is doing," said Kevin Kull of PennDOT.
Officials tell Newswatch 16 that roads being empty helped the cleanup go fasted. And while they may be exhausted, they are already gearing up for the next storm to hit.
"We are still out there, and we are going to stay out there until the job is completely done," said Kull. "They are predicting weather for this weekend, so we are going to go right through to the weekend."